Effects of the Winter of 1878-9, by James Hardy. 123 



Scotland, and what is now presented is only a portion of an ex- 

 tensive subject, wbicb. would rec[uire some otber labourer to 

 make a combined view of. 



I will chiefly confine myself to my own observation of passing 

 events, and with this I shall incorporate my notices on the 

 arrivals of migrants, as these depend very much on the tempera- 

 ture prevailing when they make their advent, and that again as 

 a resultant upon the weather of the antecedent months. The 

 sufferings that animals endured, I attribute chiefly to the long 

 continuance of extreme cold, rather than to a deficiency of what 

 has been called a natural provision for their support. . Hips and 

 haws were left untouched to wither on the branches, while ivy 

 berries, a very full crop, clustered on the twigs in sheltered 

 places, till they dropped disregarded into the soil. Worms, 

 shell-snails, slugs of all sorts and degrees, and Tipula grubs, 

 were most abundant, had there been any birds left to disengage 

 them from their retreats, when the ground became mollified, and 

 the snow began to dissipate. The rigorous cold had no appre- 

 ciable effect in diminishing the numbers of vermin of this sort. 



On the 9th October, 1878, the wild ducks began to resort to the sea for 

 their winter quarters; 60 being counted. After a heavy gale on Oct. 31, 

 two fieldfares arrived ; and the sea-pipits had been leaving a few days pre- 

 viously. On Nov. 5, after a series of northerly gales, considerable flocks of 

 fieldfares frequented the old grass fields, which were increased on the 1 1th 

 and 12th, on which last day snow fell. Redshanks and lapwings, as if pre- 

 admonished, had already resorted to the sheep folds. Nov. 9. Wild geese 

 passed from the north. Nov. 14. Fieldfares continued to frequent the fields, 

 and on that day a single snow-flake, much exhausted, was observed on the 

 post-road near the Pease Bridge. Capt. Norman noticed two snow-flakes on 

 the 15th, on the road on Halidon Hill, Berwick. Nov. 18th, the weather 

 was milder, and the bands of fieldfares were joined, on the fields, by wood- 

 pigeons. Three grey- wagtails, the last for the season, flew sportively round 

 a pond, in beautiful feather ; grey linnets had not then left. Towards the 

 end of the month, the weather be3ame milder. A wren and dipper were 

 noted on the 20th; fieldfares had disappeared on the 21st, and birds on the 

 coast became few ; red-breasts and sea-pipits were on the sea-banks on the 

 22nd. Dec. 4th, the frost commenced, and on that and the previous day, the 

 fieldfares began resorting to sheep-folds and recently-ploughed fields. Dec. 

 9th, snow-storm commenced, and continued more or less on the 10th, when 

 in the evening great assemblages of fieldfares arrived from the surrounding 

 vicinage, to roost among the furze in the lower part of Oldcambus dean ; 

 these were mingled with thrushes and blackbirds. The metallic tinkle of the 

 snowflake's call-note was heard, and a flock passed at gloaming. I was not 

 abroad every day, but on the 14th the snow lay deep on the ground, and 



